Social Assistance by Family Types
Ontario Works
Ontario Disability Support Program
Social Assistance by Family Types
Ontario Works (OW) and the Ontario Disability Support Program (ODSP) make up Ontario’s social assistance system. OW provides people with temporary financial need, while ODSP is intended to help people with disabilities and their families live as independently as possible, as well as help to reduce or eliminate disability-related barriers to employment.
According to Taxfiler data, 9% (or 20,240) of all 233,560 Simcoe Muskoka families (this includes couple families, lone-parent families and non-family persons) were receiving social assistance in 2015, an increase from 7% in 2006. Similarly, the percentage of all Ontario families receiving social assistance has also increased, from 9% in 2006 to 11% in 2015.
When looking at the individual family types more closely, 21.0% (or 4,800) of lone-parent families were receiving social assistance, while 4.7% (or 6,160) of all couple families were receiving social assistance. 11.5% (or 9,280) of non-family persons were receiving social assistance in Simcoe Muskoka as well. In comparison, a slightly higher percentage of Ontario lone-parent families (24.2% or 135,820), couple families (5.9% or 190,400), and non-family persons (14.2% or 303,440) received social assistance in 2015.
In 2015, 14% (or 2,970) of Simcoe Muskoka individuals living in couple families or lone-parent families receiving social assistance were children. In comparison, 11% (or 70,880) of Ontarian individuals living in couple families or lone-parent families receiving social assistance were children.
Ontario Works
Ontario Works (OW) is a social assistance program that is operated by the Ministry of Community and Social Services. The program provides funds and assists in securing employment for those who are eligible. To be eligible, an individual must be an Ontario resident, require immediate funds to assist with food and housing costs, and be willing to take part in activities which will help the individual secure employment.
In the County of Simcoe, the average monthly number of OW cases decreased from 7,370 cases (representing 12,219 beneficiaries) in 2012/2013 to 6,003 cases (representing 9,949 beneficiaries) in 2016/2017. Likewise, the number of OW cases in the District of Muskoka has decreased since 2012/2013 from 1,008 cases (representing 1,701 beneficiaries) to 878 cases (representing 1,432 beneficiaries) in 2016/2017. The District of Muskoka largely attributes this decrease to the transfer of cases to ODSP (District of Muskoka, Report CS-7-2017-2).
The yearly average number of OW cases in Ontario also decreased from the fiscal year 2012-2013 (259,819 cases) to 2015-2016 (250,640 cases).
Ontario Disability Support Program
The Ontario Disability Support Program (ODSP) provides income and employment support to individuals with eligible disabilities (as defined by the Ontario Disability Support Program Act) and their families. ODSP income support assists with basic living expenses such as food, shelter, clothing and personal-needs items, as well as certain health-related and employment related costs.
In Simcoe County, the monthly average number of caseloads increased by 43% from the fiscal year 2009-2010 (8,407 cases) to 2015-2016 (12,041 cases). The monthly average caseloads in the District of Muskoka also increased from 2009-2010 (1,293 cases) to 2015-2016 (1,643 cases), an increase of 27%.
The yearly average number of ODSP cases in Ontario increased by 28% from the fiscal year 2009-2010 (261,509 cases) to 2015-2016 (335,933 cases).
